2014 Pinot Noir Summa Vineyard

The Pinot Noirs are the clear highlights in this superb range from proprietors Thomas Rivers Brown and his wife, Genevieve Marie Welsh. Once again, the Sonoma Coast Pinot is terrific, even the price has gone up slightly, while the Occidental Ridge and Summa Old Vines are fabulous. The Pinots are made in a middle of the road style that deftly balances fruit intensity, aromatics and tannin. There is some whole cluster influence, but stem inclusion is not a dominant characteristic of these wines. The Chardonnays, which are built on power and phenolic intensity, are among the most dense Chardonnays I tasted this year. Primary and secondary fermentations are both done with indigenous yeasts. There is no stirring of the lees, and new oak is restrained. The wines are bottled unfined and unfiltered, which often results in the wines with slightly hazy tints. All of these wines were bottled in December 2015. Rivers-Marie fans can look forward to new Pinots from Platt and Occidental station starting with the 2016 vintage.